The King Baudouin Foundation has set up a solidarity fund to help restore the High Fens after a major wildfire that has burned about 3,000 hectares since Friday.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Foundation said citizens, companies and organisations could support the recovery of what it described as a “unique natural heritage” through donations.
The fund, called “Fire in the High Fens”, will help finance future ecological restoration work and the rehabilitation of infrastructure.
These efforts will be carried out in collaboration with partner organisations that have long been active in the fields of the environment and biodiversity, the Foundation said.
“When the High Fens burn, a part of our shared natural heritage is affected,” said Brieuc Van Damme, chief executive of the King Baudouin Foundation.
“Behind the devastated landscapes lie unique ecosystems that are essential to biodiversity and to the environmental balance of our country,” he added.
According to the latest information released by provincial authorities on Wednesday, the fire is now surrounded, but firefighters remain deployed on the ground.
Ground operations will be “decisive” on Wednesday, according to the office of the governor of Liège province.
On Tuesday, weather conditions prevented the use of helicopters and water-bombing aircraft that had previously been used to tackle the blaze.
Teams on the ground were meeting on Wednesday to assess whether aerial support would be possible, depending on weather forecasts and conditions.
